No — these five things are literally what make KMAA work the way it does every single day. Whānau keeps people coming back and feeling like they belong, CombatCare protects everyone so training can be intense without fear, TEO makes sure money never stops someone with heart from training, the CLA methodology actually teaches skill that transfers, and the KMAA Process turns good fighters into dominant ones. We didn't invent them to sound good; we built the gym around them because nothing else gets the same results.

Most places give you classes, maybe some community, and call it a day. We give you a deliberate family (Whānau), safety systems most gyms don't even think about (CombatCare), real financial access for people who need it most (TEO), training that builds fight IQ instead of just moves (CLA), and a proven winning blueprint for competitors (KMAA Process). No other academy in town — or even most in the Southeast — combines all five at this level. You feel the difference from your first class.

No. You can come just for the training and still get world-class instruction. But most people end up loving the Whānau feeling, appreciating the safety, and feeling good knowing we're opening doors for others through TEO. The pillars are there so no one gets short-changed — you get the full KMAA experience whether you asked for all of it or not.

Not at all. We built Whānau on purpose so everyone — shy people especially — feels welcomed from day one. Coaches and members are trained to notice newcomers, introduce themselves, and make you feel like you've always been part of the family. Many of our quietest members now say it's the first place they've ever felt truly seen and supported.

Completely optional. We create natural mixing (cross-class drills, group events), but no one is required to participate in anything social. The culture works because it's genuine — people want to stick around, not because we make them.

Every single coach completes our 12-week onboarding academy, with two full weeks dedicated only to CombatCare protocols: recognizing grooming, enforcing consent, managing power dynamics, and maintaining boundaries. All of our coaches under go year back ground checks as well. We don't rely on background checks alone — we train behavior and accountability. Parents and groups that are normally not fully included in combat arts (female athletes, members of marginalized groups, etc.) especially tell us they feel more at ease here than anywhere else.

It's enforced. We have zero tolerance for boundary violations, and every coach knows their job depends on upholding the protocol. We've had members tell us they switched gyms specifically because they felt safer here — that's the real-world proof.

The most common place it shows up is in the getting and receiving of explicit consent for when a coach of one gender is working with a student/athlete of a different gender, where explicit permission needs to be given before anyone touches anyone for any reason. However, it shows up in a hundred different ways throughout the day.

We are fanatical about inclusion, equality, and equity. They are mottos for us, they are a way of life.

Anyone with genuine heart and commitment who faces financial barriers — especially survivors of domestic violence, at-risk youth/foster families, LGBTQ+ individuals needing safe spaces, and veterans transitioning to civilian life. We review applications case-by-case; it's about need and warrior spirit, not a strict checklist.

The TEO system works off of your tax documents (the ones you send to the IRS). The closer you are to the poverty level based on your family size determines the size of the tuition payment you pay. If you are at (or below) the poverty line, then you will pay nothing for tuition, equipment, competition fees, etc. If you are at 10% above the poverty line, then you will pay 10% of our regular tuition costs, equipment fees, etc.

There are things other than your taxable income that the Elysium Organization looks at, but that's the beginning of the conversation for sure.

The Elysium Organization is for people who are struggling to make ends meet or who are doing everything in their power to be good stewards of all-too-limited resources. It is NOT for people who don't know how to budget and spend money poorly (going out drinking, spending money frivolously, etc.).

If you drive a nicer car than many of our coaches, TEO isn't for you. If you go out drinking regularly, TEO isn't for you. If however, you recently went through a divorce and want an outlet for yourself / your kids, TEO IS for you. If you're trying to make ends meet but run out of money before you run out of month, TEO IS for you.

If you NEED help, TEO IS for you.

TEO is funded through a combination of donations, a portion of regular tuition, and dedicated fundraising — it doesn't raise prices for paying members. In fact, most people feel proud knowing their training helps open doors for others who need it most.

TEO has a number of affiliate gyms and those that are affiliated with TEO are required to host a number of seminars per year with the proceeds going to TEO. That, combined with other fund-raising activities, is how TEO is able to support students.

No — it's the modern standard used by top performance coaches and federations worldwide because it produces faster, more adaptable skill than traditional drilling. We switched two years ago and watched progress accelerate dramatically. If you've ever felt stuck repeating techniques that don't work in sparring, this is why.

There are two problems that every students needs to solve: #1 how to get better and #2 how to get better faster than everyone around them.

If you train anywhere, you'll probably increase your skill in the arts we teach.

However, at KMAA we are committed to continuing to compete at the highest levels in the world, and that means we need to not only increase our student(s) skill, but we need to do so faster than every other gym on the planet. If we don't increase skill faster than Jackson-Wink or Serra BJJ or Tristar or ATT Coconut Creek (the best MMA gyms in the world) then we'll never get on the stages these gyms are on and even if we could get on the stages where they are, we'll lose when we run into them.

Thus, KMAA, unlike every other gym that has never produced elite competitors like we have (the VAST majority of the gyms in TN) we need to increase our student(s) skills FAST.

The Ecological framework and CLA methodology accomplishes this goal.

This is why KMAA is so different. We're not just interested in you gaining skill, we're interested in you gaining skill faster than all the elite gyms in the world.

Yes... and No — you learn something called Movement Solutions or Ideal Configurations since, in a very real sense, "techniques" are just manifestations of certain Invariant and/or Essential movement patters. However, whatever you call these things, you'll discover them through real problem-solving instead of memorizing someone else's version. You end up with moves that fit your body and work under pressure, not just look good in the air.

This video helps explain CLA in a way that is relatively easy to understand:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4P2n2gCeQ4

No — serious hobbyists, amateurs, and anyone who wants to maximize their potential can use elements of it. The full system is for competitors, but the principles (focus on what wins, mental protocols, efficient conditioning) bleed into every class and make everyone better.

In addition to this, a rising tide really does raise all boats. Thus, while our elite competitors experiencing KPI testing and Fight Skill Classes directly, all of our students benefit from the increased focus on the things which actually win; whether that's in a cage, in a ring, or in real life.

Take a walk down the KMAA Hall of Fame. Take a look at all the athletes KMAA has placed on major stages. All of those athletes were "home grown." They didn't go somewhere else, to learn under other coaches for weeks/months at a time when it was competition time - they stayed right here in Knoxville, training under Coach Eric, and training with all the regular coaches/students we have in the gym.

We're not asking you to take our reputation on faith alone. Look at our history. From Coach Eric's garage to the biggest MMA gym in the state of Tennessee. We've seen the results on our own mats long before spectators saw them on their TVs: faster finishes, better composure, higher win rates, and athletes who progress at a pace that surprises even them. It's private for a reason — the edge is real, and it's why fighters leave their home towns and/or drive hours to train here instead of staying local.